


get ready for the fright of your life

by crookedspoon



Series: Feed Me, Also, River God [21]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012), Batman (Movies - Nolan)
Genre: Crossover, Gen, Halloween
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-24
Updated: 2014-10-24
Packaged: 2018-02-22 11:31:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2506217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crookedspoon/pseuds/crookedspoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As Thea surveys the clubs transformation for the party tonight, Oliver introduces her to a new face in Starling City.</p>
            </blockquote>





	get ready for the fright of your life

**Author's Note:**

  * For [raktajinos](https://archiveofourown.org/users/raktajinos/gifts).



> Takes place sometime during s2, before everything goes to hell. Basically, only spoilers for the beginning of the season.
> 
> Surprisingly not-scary, despite the title.

Tonight, whoever stepped into Verdant would find themselves in another world entirely. Drapes hung from the walls like ghosts, some spotted with bloody stains and handprints, others untouched. A slight breeze from the ventilators stirred them occasionally, creating the illusion they were moving by themselves. Garlands in the shape of bats and spiderwebs festooned the ceiling. She'd even had a chandelier installed, with real candles, just for the occasion. The pumpkins she had carved together with Roy and Felicity grinned ghoulishly from their perch atop the counters.

"I used to love doing this with Ollie," she'd told them, although technically she had never been allowed to wield anything sharp herself. "I drew pictures of how I wanted the pumpkin faces to look, but Ollie could never get them right in my opinion. He really did try, though. They should have just let me do it myself."

"Oh, I can totally see why they didn't," Felicity had commented when Thea'd slipped with the knife and cut herself. "I mean, it was a prudent choice – you could have chopped off your finger or poked out your eye—oh God, better not think of that. Let me see. Looks like the cut isn't deep. What a relief. A simple bandaid should do the trick. There, you're all patched up. Now don't go crooking that finger too much or you'll end up opening the cut again."

"I've had cuts before, Felicity. It's not like I'm gonna die from them. But thanks, anyway."

Now, Thea proudly surveyed what her friends had helped her fashion. This party was going to be a success.

"Wow, you really turned the club into a haunted house."

Thea turned from the fruit of their labor to see Ollie strut into the room, a handsome stranger by his side. They both appreciated the view.

"Ollie!" She enveloped her brother in an affectionate hug, which he returned just as warmly. When she let go, she nodded to the man beside him. "Who's your friend?"

She had never seen this man before, but he seemed different from Ollie's usual run of acquaintance. A touch too sophisticated, perhaps. It wasn't the suit or the glasses or the confident air he exuded. There was something about him she couldn't quite pin down. At the very least he didn't strike her as the playboy type like her brother. Like Tommy...

She hoped he wasn't a lawyer. Their company never boded well.

"Thea, this is Dr. Jonathan Crane. Dr. Crane, this is my sister Thea."

"A pleasure to meet you," Dr. Crane said, shifting the bowl he was carrying to extend his hand. "Oliver has mentioned how proud he is that you're managing his club. Wonderful decor you have here."

"Thank you." Thea shook his hand, not knowing whether to feel flattered or embarrassed. She felt scrutinized under his sharp gaze, almost as if he was trying to determine whether or not she lived up to Ollie's regard of her. "So, what brings you two here?"

"Where is Laurel?" Ollie asked, looking around the club as though expecting her to pop out from behind one of the swaying drapes or some other hidden corner. "I thought you said to come pick her up."

"Yeah, but she left when she heard me talking to you. Didn't want to get involved in another argument, I suppose. Said she needed to head back to the DA's office. Why didn't you check there?"

"We already have. I asked Dr. Crane to meet me there so I could introduce him to Laurel."

"What, are you trying to play matchmaker now?" she asked, half joking, half incredulous. Her brother often came up with the most ridiculous ventures and she wouldn't put this one past him. He may be thinking that by putting Laurel back on the relationship market, he would be helping her get over Tommy.

"Actually," Dr. Crane cut in, "he asked me whether I was willing to see Ms. Lance as a patient. In my facility as a trained professional, of course."

Thea looked at him curiously. "What field did you say you specialise in?"

"Clinical psychology, technically. But I have some counseling experience in other areas. Ms. Rochev approached me on behalf of Queen Consolidated to brief executives on mental health and how to handle staff members showing signs of burnout or depression, or have recently lost a loved one. Which was how your brother became aware of my work and approached me about your friend."

So this was about helping Laurel deal with her grief after all. Which was a good idea in effect, although Thea wasn't convinced this was the way to go about it. But whatever it was, she had sworn to herself not to get involved. Let Ollie sort it out with Laurel; getting caught between them was the last thing Thea wanted.

"You know what?" She beamed at Ollie. "Maybe you should make an appointment with him, too."

Ollie grinned back at her in that humorless way he had adopted since he'd come back from the island. He probably knew he should, after what he'd been through – probably even _was_ in therapy for all Thea was aware. It's not like he told her anything.

"Well," he rounded on Crane again. "I'm sorry to have wasted your time, doctor."

"Not at all. It was a pleasure seeing a part of Starling City I haven't been able to inspect before. One has got to know the environment one works in. It hels in understanding one's patients."

Ollie nodded. "Next time, I will make sure Laurel's already with me before I seek out your help."

"That may not be necessary. I have already been charged with the psychological evaluation of one Victor Zsasz, who is awaiting trial at the moment. I'm convinced I will have ample opportunity to work together with Ms. Lance on this case."

"Yes, I've heard her mention this guy," Ollie said, somewhat distracted. "Anyway, you can call me anytime and let me know when you'll have a meeting with her. I'll be there."

"Thank you. I have another request, however, that I hope your sister here will be able to help me with."

Thea started out of her reverie at suddenly finding herself addressed again. They'd been talking over her head for so long that she'd begun to drift off, worrying the bandaid on her finger and going over her mental list of things that still needed to be done before the club opened tonight.

"Sure, what is it?" she asked brightly, to disguise that she hadn't been paying attention.

"Well." Dr. Crane extended the bowl he'd been carrying. "I bought some candy to distribute among the children tonight, but with the upcoming case, I decided to get a headstart on this Zsasz character and won't be at home, after all. It would be a shame to let these go to waste, though, when I can find someone who would hand them out for me. And when I noticed the snacks lined up on the tables, I gathered this might be the perfect place to leave them."

"Thanks. I guess." Thea hesitated a little before accepting the offer, carefully picking up the container so as not to pop the cut on her finger. Crane watched her intenly, as if drinking in her uncertainty. "You're not slipping me prescription drugs here, are you?"

He chuckled. "I am not authorized to do that."

Thea took a quick peek at the contents. They appeared to be ordinary foil-packaged sweets. "Well, all right then. You can leave it to me. I'll put them to the rest."

"Much appreciated." Shaking her hand, he signaled that he was ready to leave. "It was a pleasure to meet you."

"And you," Thea answered, although she wasn't sure whether that sentiment was true. She had a natural distrust of everyone who pried into other people's heads. Although Dr. Crane seemed like a nice enough guy if he was willing to help Laurel.

"Let me walk you out," Ollie offered Crane. He gave Thea a kiss and told her he'd see her again later.

Before he left, Crane handed her his calling card. "In case you ever need to talk. Your brother gave me to understand that the death of your friend Tommy Merlyn affected all of you."

"Yes," Thea nearly choked on the word, taken by suprise at the mention of Tommy. She looked down at the little rectangle, so he wouldn't see the tears welling up.

"Good luck with your party tonight."

Her party. Yes. The episode just now had distracted her a little from her preparations. She slipped the business card into the back pocket of her jeans and decided to head home to change into her costume. She'd pick up Roy on the way back, and together they could give the club the finishing touch. 

Thea sets aside a candelabrum to make room for the candy bowl and places it next to the blood orange juice with peeled grapes in it. She wouldn't let anything go wrong tonight, not after they'd all worked so hard to transform Verdant into the perfect Halloween venue.

**Author's Note:**

> Title from "Scary Song" by Frankenstein Drag Queens. Series unrelated, that's just where I group together exchange fic and the like.
> 
> I'd love to see anyone pick up the thread of this fic and write the scare that ensues because of the candy. :D


End file.
